Astrid
by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel
Summary: A young, orphaned Earth girl suddenly discovers that she not only has a vastly influential father, but is heir to some rather unique heritage. WIP. ABANDONED
1. Chapter 1

In this story, Vader and Padme had only one child, who was hidden on a secret, remote world where she would be safe from the Empire. Those who knew where she was are now dead. Meanwhile the little girl has grown up not knowing anything about her past or family...

Star Wars movies are non-existent in this universe, sorry.

Please R & R. 10 points to anyone who can guess why I chose the name Astrid for this character.

-------------------------

The girl was sent sprawling into the puddle of watery mud. She whirled around, narrow face contorted with anger and humiliation, facing her attackers. The other children laughed. Astrid was always fun to pick on; she would be almost convulsed with fury. She'd developed a weird sort of pride in the last few years that made her even more of a target. It was eerie, unnatural. Now Astrid's face went blank and cold, her dark blue eyes like chips of ice. She stood up, her head high, and looked at them all disdainfully. The children roared with laughter. Astrid just watched them for a moment, then turned and ran.

Astrid sat in the bushes and cried. The hot, angry tears of hurt and humiliation made her eyes and nose swell, flowed down her face and neck. She cried silently, as she had learnt to do, so that no one would hear her sobbing and find her. Astrid was a foster child who had been left on the desk in a hospital twelve years earlier. No one knew who she was, or who her parents were: all she had was a little carved necklace and a yellowed slip of paper saying _This is Astrid Skywalker. Guard her well._

The handwriting was firm and neat, with a hint of elegance. Astrid often wondered who had left it, had left it in her basket when they abandoned her in the hospital. Was it one of her parents? A uncle? An aunt? Or someone else entirely?

Right now she wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face in her knees. She hated this school, hated the callous, laughing children. She hated the teachers who looked on her disapprovingly – _that Skywalker child gets into fights, you know _– and who shoved her in the corner and refused to answer her questions even though Astrid genuinely wanted to learn.

Astrid knew that her pride only increased the amount of teasing she got, but she didn't care. The pride had appeared quite suddenly in grade five, along with a quiet dignity. They'd been teasing her quite badly when something suddenly snapped, and she straightened up to look them in the eye with some emotion she couldn't put a name to or describe. But she had suddenly known that whatever they said, whatever they did, there was a power in her that they did not possess. She was greater than they were. That knowledge kept her sane. Astrid sniffed and slowly wiped her face dry.

That afternoon Astrid was sitting in a tree on the front lawn, concealed from sight. Her foster mother Theresa had been calling her earlier, but Astrid had refused to come out. Theresa's children had been tormenting her earlier and right now all Astrid wanted was to be left alone.

Quite suddenly she noticed a group of men walking down the street, dressed in strange, white plastic costumes like something out of a space opera. At their centre was a giant of a man dressed in black, his clothing even more bizarre than that of his companions. Astrid stared at the strange helmet, at the flowing black cloak.

The man and his entourage were quite close when a water bomb hit Astrid. She yelled and fell out of the tree.

"Ow!"

Her foster siblings roared with laughter. Astrid got to her feet, glaring coldly.

"I suppose you find that amusing," she said disdainfully. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that the men had stopped and were watching the little scene. She folded her arms, standing as straight as possible, regarding the two children with an unnervingly steady stare.

"Dead right we do," said Trevor, "we–"

He stopped and stared at something behind Astrid, as did Erica. Astrid became aware of a steady _hiss_ and _whoosh_ of air. She turned and found herself looking at the man in black, who was looming over her. She stared upwards into the black lenses.

"Hi," she said blankly. Somehow he felt oddly familiar.

"Greetings, young one," said the man. His voice was deep and powerful. Trevor and Erica had backed away uneasily. He sent them an inscrutable look and they turned and ran. He shifted his gaze back to Astrid.

"You are Astrid Skywalker."

Astrid nodded.

"I am Lord Vader," he told her. "I am your father."

Astrid stared at him.

"What?"

"You do not come from this planet, young one. You were hidden here as an infant so that I would not find you," he told her. "I didn't know of your existence for a long time."

Astrid's mind whirled.

"I'm from another planet?" she whispered. "I don't belong here?"

Vader nodded.

The dark blue eyes almost seemed to glow. The thin face looked up at him, eyes narrowing in determination.

"I'm coming with you no matter what they say."

"Come, then."

He turned and began striding away. Astrid had to jog to keep up with him as the men in white armour surrounded them. Vader glanced at the small figure struggling to keep up with him and took her hand so that she was dragged along.

Astrid was too busy keeping up with her father to notice the spaceship until they reached it. As the ramp was lowered Astrid stared, looking impressed.

"What's this called?" she asked Vader. He glanced down at her.

"An Imperial Shuttle," he answered. Astrid looked at it solemnly, storing the information. As the ramp hit the ground Vader began striding up it. She followed.

As the shuttle left Earth Astrid divided her attention between the view outside and the figure sitting opposite watching her. As she looked out the window she saw something in the distance that grew bigger and bigger. Astrid's eyes went wide with awe.

"What's _that?_" she asked.

"The Star Destroyer _Executor_," Vader replied.

"It's big," she whispered to herself, staring out at it again. She continued to stare as the shuttle boarded. Then Vader stood and she hastily followed suit.

As they came down the ramp Astrid tried to look everywhere at once. There were lots of other ships, with people in different uniforms everywhere. Once again she had to keep up and once again Vader noticed. With a flash of annoyance he took her hand as before so that she was dragged along again. They came to a stop in front of a man in a neat uniform who tried not to stare at her clutching Vader's hand. Astrid looked at him unblinkingly. The man radiated unease.

"Admiral," said Vader. "This is my daughter. You are to see that she is comfortably installed."

Vader turned to her and she looked up into his mask.

"You are to go with the Admiral."

Astrid nodded and he detached his hand from hers and swept away.

She turned back to the Admiral.

"Hello," she said, staring at him gravely. "Who are you?"

"Admiral Piett, miss," he replied. "Please come this way.

As she followed him Astrid started asking questions which he answered patiently. She asked with the air of an adult searching for information rather than with childish curiosity.

"You work for my father, then?"

"Yes, miss."

"What's he like?"

Piett thought about that one.

"Efficient."

"Who are the men in white armour?"

"Stormtroopers."

"What do they do?"

"They are soldiers, miss. It is their job to fight for the Empire in order to maintain peace and order."

"What are the weapons they carry?"

"Blasters."

"Their function?"

"The blasters shoot laser bolts. They're used by the stormtroopers to disable those who try to cause chaos."

As the questions continued Astrid noticed that Piett was trying to stop the corners of his mouth from creeping up.

"What is so amusing?" she demanded. He gave her a startled, half-fearful look that he covered almost immediately with a deadpan expression.

"It is only that your manner is somewhat like that of your father, miss."

They stopped in front of a door. Piett pressed a panel to the side and it slid open.

"This is your room," said the Admiral.

Astrid peered in with interest. There was a bed in one corner and two doors.

"This is your wardrobe, miss, while the 'fresher is through there," said Piett, gesturing. Astrid immediately had Piett show her how everything worked, then dismissed him.

The sonic shower proved to be a strange experience and Astrid decided that she like real water showers better. She peered in the wardrobe and picked out a black dress with a neat, almost military cut. She admired her reflection. She looked neat and precise wearing her dress. Her hair was tied back neatly with a green ribbon that she had found in the top drawer of a chest in the left half of the wardrobe, and looked orderly and attractive. Altogether Astrid decided that she looked rather smart.

She was examining the objects in some of the lower drawers in the wardrobe when there was a knock at the door. It slid open to reveal Piett. He was surprised at how different she looked from the grubby child Vader had brought aboard earlier.

"You are to eat dinner with your father, miss," Piett said. "Please follow me."

Astrid obeyed, walking proudly behind him, conscious of the looks and stares she was getting from the people they passed. They came to another door. Astrid entered.

It was a large room, with a table in the centre. One wall was transparent, showing the space outside. Vader turned from the view to regard his daughter.

"You look presentable," he said. Astrid waited.

"You may sit and eat," he told her, moving to the table.

Self-consciously Astrid sat, Vader doing the same at the end of the table. She began to eat, careful to remember her table manners. Vader sat and watched her.

"Do you eat?" she asked him politely.

"Not in the same way you do."

Astrid wondered in what way he _did_ eat but didn't ask. Silently she ate her way through the unfamiliar food before sitting back and looking at her father. Waiting.

"The galaxy around you is all part of the Empire," he began. Astrid listened attentively as he gave her a brief introduction to the Empire and his role in it.

"You," he said, "will be living in my palace on Coruscant. You will begin attending school there in a month. By then you should be reasonably well-acquainted with the world you will now be living in."

Astrid wasn't happy at the mention of school. Vader felt her discontent.

"School displeases you?" he asked. Astrid hesitated.

"At my old school they used to pick on me," she told him.

"They will not do so here." He was firm. "You are someone of importance. They will not dare."

A month later, as Astrid nervously entered the school grounds, she thought of Vader's words. She hoped he was right. She knew a lot more about the galaxy than she had, but she was still barely able to write in their language and had many gaps in her knowledge. For the moment she would be allowed to write in English during class and dictate to a computer for any homework that she was required to write, but that was only temporary.

Astrid adjusted her uniform as she made her way to her classroom, finding comfort in the gesture. Back home there had been no point in neatness, as anything she tidied would just be messed up again. Here, however, her organised soul found contentment in being orderly and neat.

Astrid entered the room apprehensively, covering her anxiety with an expressionless look. There were other children of roughly her own age in the room, standing together in little groups and chatting. Most of them had languid, drawling voices that filled Astrid with irritation. As she walked in some girls turned to look at her derisively. Astrid decided that it was more a habitual expression than one particularly aimed at her. It didn't make her feel any better, however.

"Who are you?" one of the girls asked scornfully. "Kind of small, aren't you?"

Astrid straightened even further, her expression turning to one of disdain.

"Kind of rude, aren't you?" she replied, mimicking the other's tone.

The other girls glared.

"Who are you?" the first girl snapped out. Astrid eyed them haughtily.

"Astrid Skywalker," she replied.

"Well, Astrid," the girl sneered, "I've never heard of anyone with that name. _My_ name is Ammeline Dacin, and my father is General Dacin. So you can pay us some respect. My father could get you kicked out if he wanted to."

Astrid gave her a look of condescending amusement.

"I doubt it," she said dryly. The others bristled.

"Oh?" asked the first, in a dangerously sweet voice. "And what family do _you_ come from that my father isn't better than yours?"

Astrid looked at her pityingly for a moment.

"_My_ father," said Astrid, "is Lord Vader."

With that she turned and walked away, leaving the girls standing open-mouthed. Ammeline strode after her and grabbed her by the arm to swing her around.

Astrid's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

"Remove your grip," she said in a low, even voice.

"You liar!" Ammeline said indignantly. "Lord Vader doesn't have any children! I bet you're just low-down gutter trash on a scholarship!"

She brought her hand up to slap Astrid's face.

Anger coursed through the small girl. She wrenched herself out of the bigger girl's grip and raised her hand, eyes blazing. Ammeline was thrown backwards into a desk and the two went over with a crash.

"What is going on here?" demanded an angry, female voice. A teacher stood in the doorway.

"Ammeline assaulted Lord Vader's daughter!" one of the boys told her excitedly. The teacher gasped and paled and she took in Astrid standing angrily in the centre of the room, a livid red handprint covering half her face.

"I want to call my father," said Astrid in clipped tones. "Now."

The teacher went white.

"Please, Miss Skywalker – no need – surely –"

Astrid gave her an icy look.

"Would you prefer that I told my father this afternoon that not only was I physically assaulted but that the staff attempted to prevent him from knowing?" she demanded.

Astrid was escorted to the school comm-vid. She tapped in Vader's communication number and a moment later Vader appeared on the screen.

"What is –" He stopped. There was a short silence.

"What has happened to your face?" His voice was scarily calm.

"Ammeline Dacin," said Astrid evenly. "General Dacin's daughter, or so she told me. She didn't believe that I was your daughter and decided to make me regret 'lying.'"

There was a long, heavy silence. Then –

"I will speak to General Dacin," said Vader. His voice indicated that he might do more than speak. "What is the current situation?"

Astrid hesitated.

"Well, I did something," she told him. "I don't know what. Only – somehow Ammeline went flying backwards into the desk."

There was another silence, this time a more thoughtful one.

"Interesting," he said. "We will discuss this when you get home. Where is your teacher?"

The teacher came forward into view, trembling.

"This is not how I expect my daughter to be treated." The quiet voice was filled with menace. "Make it clear to the other students that this will not happen again."

"Y-yes my lord," stammered the teacher. Vader disappeared from the screen.

Astrid was taken first to the med-bay to have some cold, liquid stuff applied to her face, then back to her classroom. Ammeline was sitting at a desk, scowling. At their appearance she started to complain bitterly, but was cut off.

"I have just been speaking to Lord Vader."

There was a sudden hush as the students stared goggle-eyed at the teacher and Astrid.

"He was most displeased, Ammeline, and intends to speak to your father."

Ammeline turned white.

"No!" she gasped. "No!"

She gave Astrid a look of horror. By now Astrid had lived with Vader long enough to know his usual reaction when he was 'most displeased.' She hoped that the fact that Ammeline's father was a General would ensure his survival. She wasn't going to bet on it, though.

"You shouldn't have behaved so stupidly," Astrid said earnestly. "I didn't do anything to you, but you sneered at me and insulted me and then, when I told you who I was, you compounded your idiocy by attacking me. Does that really strike you as intelligent action?"

Astrid looked at her a moment without hostility, genuinely questioning. Then she turned at sat at her desk.

During lunch break Ammeline got a call on her comm-link. It was her father. His voice could be heard across half the grounds. Ammeline wore a miserable, scared look that nonetheless had relief in it – her father was alive, at least.

Astrid sat by herself in the cafeteria, eating her lunch. When she'd lined up the people in front of her had left the line, obviously afraid that she would grow impatient and injure whoever stood in her way or else report them to her father. Astrid snorted. Right. Because they happened to be before her in the lunch line. It was ridiculous.

As she ate Astrid watched everything around her with interested eyes. People looked hurriedly away as she glanced at them, then went back to staring at her. At the far end of the room a girl even smaller than herself entered. She had a pinched, unhappy look as she lined up to collect her lunch. Other people pushed in front of her and jostled her, sometimes making clever remarks that made others scream with laughter and the girl hunch up. Astrid was conscious of a sense of fellow-feeling. As the girl walked past, searching for an empty table, Astrid snagged the back of her uniform.

"You can sit here if you want," she told the girl, smiling in a friendly way.

The girl obviously didn't know who she was. Apparently she was neglected conversationally as well as teased.

"Thanks," she said in a muted voice, sliding onto the seat opposite Astrid, eyes lowered.

"What's your name?" Astrid asked brightly. There was a quick, suspicious glance, then the girl was looking at her lunch again.

"Cassandra," she said, still in the muted voice.

"I'm Astrid. I'm new."

"That's obvious," muttered the girl, "otherwise you wouldn't be sitting with me. It's social suicide. You'll never get anyone else to sit with you."

Astrid chuckled wryly.

"I already couldn't get anyone else to sit with me," she replied. "They all know who I am. They're scared stiff of me."

Cassandra sent her another swift look.

"Why?"

"Because I'm Lord Vader's daughter."

Cassandra looked up at her, eyes wide.

"You're serious, aren't you?" she asked. "Sithspawn."

Astrid grinned. Cassandra looked puzzled, then joined in reluctantly as she realised that that was exactly what Astrid was. There was a scared look on her face, however.

"I'm not going to hurt you or anything," said Astrid. "My father won't either."

Cassandra met her eyes and relaxed a little.

"I'm a scholarship student," she said, a little bitterly. "My family doesn't have much money. Plus I'm small. So I'm the one everyone sneers at."

Astrid grinned wickedly.

"No anymore," she said mischievously. "All I have to do is hang round with you and you'll be magically elevated. I can't see anyone with the guts to pick on you if they think it means it might get Vader on their case."

Cassandra stared at Astrid for a moment before a broad smile spread across her face.

"Well if we're going to be friends, then do you want to come to my house this afternoon?" she asked. "I mean," and her smile faltered, "it's not that great a house or anything –"

"I was brought up by a foster family on a primitive planet till my father found me," Astrid told her. "Trust me. It won't bother me."

Casssandra smiled happily.

"So you'll come?"

"I just have to ask my father."

Vader was pleased to see that she was already forming alliances – his phrase – and gave his permission. Cassandra's home proved to be a small, unremarkable building in a rather poor area. Cassandra unlocked the door and walked in.

"Mum!" she called. A middle-aged woman came out into the corridor and stopped in surprise as she saw Astrid.

"Mum," said Cassandra self-consciously, "This is Astrid. She's new at school."

Astrid gave her a social smile.

Cassandra's mother smiled back, pulling herself together.

"Pleased to meet you, Astrid," she said warmly. "It's so nice to see Cassandra's making friends."

Cassandra cringed. Astrid chortled inwardly.

"So," continued the girl's mother, "have you always lived in Coruscant?"

Astrid shook her head.

"My father only just found me a while ago," she told the woman. "Until then I lived somewhere else. I think he's always lived here, though."

Cassandra's mother smiled.

"Oh? And who is he?"

"Lord Vader, Mrs Sperling."

The woman went white.

"You're Lord Vader's daughter?" she gasped, looking frightened. Astrid nodded.

"Oh, well it's simply an honour, we're happy to welcome you, it's –"

"_Mahhh-uuuuummm!_" wailed Cassandra. Mrs Sperling stopped.

"It's really okay, Mrs Sperling," Astrid reassured her. "I'm not going to do anything."

"She's my friend, Mum," Cassandra complained. "I can't believe you just did that. She's nice. Really. And being her friend is great. Everyone's been leaving me alone all afternoon."

Mrs Sperling gave Astrid a thoughtful look at that.

"I gather people don't want to risk bringing the wrath of Lord Vader down on their heads," Astrid told her, deadpan.

Mrs Sperling nodded shrewdly, visions of her daughter gaining access to the highest levels of society clearly going through her mind. She gave a bland, urbane smile.

"You will always be welcome in our house, Astrid," she said.

Cassandra dragged Astrid into the kitchen disgustedly.

"Sorry about that," she apologised. She started looking in the cupboards for food.

"S'okay," Astrid replied, watching in surprise as a small furry creature walked over radiating welcome and wound itself around her legs.

Cassandra emerged from the cupboard in time to see Astrid's look of astonishment. She laughed.

"This is Zez," she said, picking up the creature and rubbing it affectionately. The creature purred with contentment.

"What is it?" Astrid asked, her eyes still round.

Cassandra gave her an odd look.

"A Kaal," she replied. "They're all over the galaxy. Where have you been that you've never seen one?"

Astrid shrugged.

"A small place called Earth."

"Urth," Cassandra repeated. She smiled shyly at the taller girl.

"C'mon. Let's go watch the holovid."

That afternoon a promising friendship began.


	2. Chapter 2

"Astrid" means "strength." 10 points!

Please note that in this story Leia Organa is Bail's biological daughter.

---------------------------------

The blonde girl sat at the computer console, typing out a message to her best friend. She was unusually tall, particularly for a girl. She had a slim, upright build, and a stern, attractive face full of an unusual strength of character. She smiled to herself as she typed, unaware that the smile lit up her features and made her look suddenly enchanting.

_So here I am, _she typed, _stuck on a backwater world. True, Alderaan is attractive and serene, but I personally have a love of action and excitement._

The girl reading the message at the other end of the connection laughed out loud at that. The number of times Astrid had been hauled out of some ticklish predicament by her father (sometimes literally; she'd crashed her speeder a couple of times when she was supposed to be at home) because of that love of excitement were beyond counting. The strange thing was that until she hit about fourteen Astrid had always been rather quiet. Cassandra went back to reading the words appearing on her screen.

_There's a regal princess here, Leia Organa by name, whose current hobby appears to be imitating an icicle in my presence. Dad gets the same treatment, only more politely. Organa himself is pure amiability. I think he's suspected of being a rebel, though, so I'm remaining rather distant. No point in getting to like him if he's going to be executed._

Cassandra shivered at the unconcern in that statement. Executions – both official and impromptu – were an ordinary part of Astrid's life with Lord Vader. The lack of human empathy she displayed towards the subject disturbed Cassandra sometimes. Still, she supposed, if Astrid was going to be involved in all that some day it was probably better to have developed some immunity to it. She continued reading.

_Anyway, it's almost dinner, so I'd better go get ready. Seeya._

_Seeya,_ Cassandra echoed.

Astrid stood up and moved away from the computer console, looking into her mirror thoughtfully. So far she'd dressed with military neatness and simplicity, but if that princess was going to dress up she should probably choose something a bit more social...

Vader wondered where on earth Astrid had got to. Normally she was never late, always arriving exactly on time. If they had to go send someone to alert the girl – he relaxed as he saw a tall slim figure sailing across the room towards them. He could see that she had dressed up, and noted with amusement the serene look she gave Bail's daughter. Evidently there was some kind of conflict going on there that had prompted Astrid to behave competitively.

She certainly did look impressive, Vader thought with something close to parental pride. She was wearing some loose and flowing black thing that set off her tall, willowy figure to admiration – quite a contrast to the lamentably short Princess Leia, dressed in a white gown that wasn't flowing at all, but rather fell straight so that she was reminiscent of a marble statue – and her hair was pulled smoothly back into a twist of elaborate golden curls. She'd even accentuated her features with a touch of subtle makeup.

_She has the same excellent taste as her mother_, a small, sly voice said. Vader sternly quashed it.

Astrid smiled at them all beatifically.

"My apologies," she smiled. "My hair took longer than expected."

Bail, Leia, and Astrid ate and made conversation. Leia made a smiling, barbed remark, which Astrid returned with equal affability. Vader could feel Leia's annoyance at having failed to breach Astrid's armour. She tried again, heedless of a pained look from her father. Soon there was a steady flow of barbed, pleasant-faced remarks between the two girls. Vader listened, entertained, as Astrid leant forward and made a particularly sweet, stinging remark. Leia was growing more and more infuriated under her gracious exterior, while Astrid was genuinely enjoying herself.

Bail hailed the dessert course with relief.

"No doubt things are busy in the Empire, Lord Vader?" he asked loudly, taking advantage of the diversion. Leia looked a little ashamed of herself. Astrid simply turned to regard Bail politely as though she and Leia had indeed been making civil conversation. As she caught her father's eye she gave him a swift wink.

"Indeed," Vader said. "There has been a great deal of rebel activity of late."

Organa did his best to hide the unease that sprang from that remark, but Vader sensed it. So did Astrid. She was giving Bail an unsmiling, serious look like the one that she had habitually worn as a precocious child. So, Organa was involved with the rebels as Vader had thought.

"Personally I cannot help but feel for the rebels," Leia said courteously. "They risk so much for what they believe in."

A carefully-worded statement that came perilously close to treason. Astrid turned her gaze on the Princess, feeling new respect for her. That had been a brave and clever action, revealing her personal politics in a way that avoided disloyalty to the Emperor.

"And yet," Astrid said limpidly, "if they were not firmly sought out they would bring chaos and instability. My personal feeling is that a single united Empire is far better than a host of warring kingdoms with no clear loyalties. If the rebels were not suppressed, then they would no doubt stir up revolt and we would be back in the days of the Separatists, when you never knew whom you could trust and thousands of innocent civilians were murdered each day in territorial conflicts. Yes, I by far prefer a single Empire."

Vader listened with quiet approval. No patriot speeches about how wonderful the Empire was, but a realistic warning of what would happen if it were to come apart. Exactly the sort of response most likely to reach the princess.

His daughter was a born politician, he thought.

It was clear from the look on Leia's face that such arguments had never occurred to her.

"After all," said Astrid gently, "ideologies are not nearly as important as stability and safety."

Bail was giving Astrid a look of quiet respect.

"An excellent argument, Miss Vader," he said, smiling. "You must indeed be proud of your daughter, my lord."

"I never heard of Lord Vader being particularly proud of anybody," Leia flashed, angry and confused. There was a long, weighty silence as both Vader and Astrid went still. Bail sent his daughter a horrified look.

"No doubt there are many things that you have never heard of, Princess," said Vader, breaking the silence. Astrid's face had gone blank and cold, and slightly disdainful. Any pretence of sociability was gone now, dispelled by Leia's offensive remark. He stood.

"The Empire is aware of your involvement with the Rebel Alliance," Vader boomed at Organa. Astrid had likewise stood and was standing still and alert, her eyes narrowed and watchful. No longer was she the polite, sophisticated young woman who had spent dinner involved in intricate social politics. She was instead Lord Vader's right hand, dangerous, professional, and ruthless.

She moved towards the door and gestured to the stormtrooper there. Soon the building would be flooded with troopers searching for evidence of Bail's treason.

Organa had gone pale, but stood with quiet dignity.

"Father – you can't –"

"Hush, Leia," he told his daughter. He turned to look at Vader squarely.

"My daughter knew nothing of my involvement. She has had nothing to do with the Alliance."

"Indeed, Organa?" Vader's voice was filled with scepticism. Astrid rejoined him, standing quietly by his side. His gaze went from her to the Princess, to Bail, and then back to Astrid.

The stormtroopers entered.

"Search this residence, Commander," Vader ordered. "Inform me immediately if any treasonably material is found. Senator Organa is under arrest."

"What about the girl, my lord?"

"Leave her," said Vader. "I doubt that she knows anything."

"Yes, my lord."

A couple of troopers came forward to arrest Organa. He submitted to the arrest, but said with a flicker of a smile,

"I suppose that I can deduce that you do, indeed, have a certain fatherly pride."

Vader swept past him without an answer. A moment later only Astrid and the princess were left in the room.

"They can't take him!" Leia's face was white. "They can't!"

"Of course they can. Your father committed treason. You're just lucky that my father decided to be lenient with you."

The young Vader stood, watching her with upraised brows.

Leia gave a strangled sob, and Astrid sent a swift glance around the room to make sure that they were alone.

"You can continue his work," she hissed. "Surely you're glad for that chance. Just don't get caught. Now for goodness sake pull yourself together."

Leia whirled.

"And what if it were your father?" she screamed.

Astrid gazed at her with an eerie calmness.

"If it were my father," she said quietly, "I would carry on. He's the target of thousands, possibly even millions of people. Do you really think that such a contingency hasn't crossed my mind?"

The Dark Lord's daughter stalked out without another word.

-------------------------

Astrid was overseeing the searching of the building when there was a shout from a stormtrooper.

"Ma'am! we've found someone..."

A woman was escorted out into the corridor. There was a regal dignity in her face, and grace in the way she moved. Her brown eyes fixed on Astrid's face impassively. Astrid's face drained of color. She wheeled to stop the nearest trooper.

"Get Lord Vader down here immediately," she barked. "Tell him it's urgent and requires his immediate attention."

"Yes ma'am," said the stormtrooper, and went on his way.

"Keep her under guard in the dining hall," Astrid ordered the soldiers escorting the woman. "There should be food and water there still. Make sure that she is comfortable."

Astrid leant against the wall out of the sight of the stormtroopers. She felt dizzy and faint. But sithspawn, who could have expected such an event?

Astrid pulled herself together and strode towards the entrance.

When Vader arrived he found his daughter looking unusually stern and grim.

"What is so urgent that it required my attention?" he demanded. Astrid took a deep breath.

"Mother's in there."

Vader couldn't believe that he'd heard aright. He glared at her.

"_Mother's in there_," Astrid repeated, with emphasis. "She was found in a secret chamber apparently installed for emergencies. Sithhell, I'm going to be sick."

In a rare gesture of concern the Dark Lord put out an arm to support her. She breathed deeply and shook her head, straightening.

Together they strode into the dining room.

The woman was sitting at the table. At their entrance her eyes widened a little, but she said nothing. Vader dismissed the troopers sharply.

He stared down at the woman sitting wearily before them.

"Padme," he rasped.

The brown eyes looked at him levelly.

"Lord Vader."

He knew it was the way she would act, knew he shouldn't feel this way, but to hear his – name – come so coolly from her lips hurt.

"It is nice to discover your existence," said Astrid. She was still rather pale, but had recovered her usual composure.

Padme looked at her, looked properly.

"Astrid?" Her voice was full of soft uncertainty.

"Hello, Mother." Astrid's voice was devoid of emotion. "Who's idea was it to leave me on that godforsaken planet called Earth and have me brought up without family or friends?"

Padme looked at her sharply.

"No family or friends?" she repeated. "You were supposed to be adopted. Loved."

Astrid gave a mirthless smile.

"No family nor love I knew until my father claimed me," she said. Then the mask broke and her face crumpled. Astrid turned away as she started to sob. Vader half-turned towards her, but stopped, looking back at his wife instead.

"What purpose did your deceit serve?" he asked her coldly.

Padme had been watching her daughter, an anguished expression on her face, but at his words steel came into the brown eyes. How he remembered that look, that look she had worn when they had gone to rescue Obi-Wan, when she had declared her love for him –

Vader jerked out of the memory, and wheeled around to stride to the other end of the room. Astrid was still crying, and he could feel her pain tearing at him. He stood for a moment in indecision, then came forward and pulled her close.

Astrid cried into his chest and he held her tightly. Padme watched the scene with a twisted look on her face. After a few moments Astrid's sobs subsided and she drew away from her father.

"Sorry Dad." Her voice was broken and thick from crying. She turned her swollen, tear-stained face towards Padme.

"We _loved_ you," she said, and the pain in her voice tore at Padme's heart. "And you left us."

We _loved you_. The significance was not lost on Padme.

"I was under the impression," she said carefully, her throat constricted and making it difficult to speak, "that... I was not loved." She sent a glance at Vader, who stood, rigid.

There was a tense moment. How would he reply?

At that inopportune moment Leia stormed in.

"On what charge are you holding Lady Amidala?" she demanded. Vader turned to her with controlled anger.

"Leave, Princess."

"No, I – " Leia caught sight of Astrid's tear-stained face and stared. Astrid looked fixedly at the far wall, mouth compressed, ignoring her presence.

"Aunt Padme?" Leia asked hesitantly, unsure of what was going on.

Swift as a striking snake Astrid whirled.

"_Aunt _Padme?" she demanded. "You were willing to be an _aunt_ to some stranger's child, yet could not even find it in your heart to raise your own daughter?"

Leia gaped. Surely the girl couldn't mean…

"Astrid," Padme begged, the tears suddenly falling from her wet eyes, "it was to protect you. I didn't know you were being badly treated. I didn't know. Obi-Wan said you'd be" She stopped.

"Said I'd be what?" Astrid snapped.

"Said you'd be left with a family who would adopt you as their own."

The tears were falling fast now. Padme raised one hand to wipe them away.

"I was left in a hospital," Astrid said quietly, the anger and hurt gone from her voice, leaving it merely sad. "On the reception desk. For several months there was a search to find out who I was, but when they found nothing I was given to Family Services who placed me with a foster family. I went from family to family – I was different, so they disliked me – until I was five years old and they found a family willing to take me permanently. I was teased by my foster siblings and by the kids at school, and because I had no friends and was always getting into fights because people attacked me, the teachers thought I was a troublemaker and wouldn't teach me properly even though I wanted to learn."

Padme gave a sob.

"And when your father found you?"

Astrid smiled at the memory.

"He turned up, terrified my foster siblings, and told me to come with him. When I couldn't keep up – I was quite small at that stage – he grabbed my hand and dragged me along."

"And when we reached the _Executor_ you followed me about asking nonsensical questions," said Vader dryly, "when you were supposed to be in your quarters."

Astrid grinned in agreement.

"You love her," said Padme, with a strange little smile. Vader turned to her coldly.

"Yes."

The smile died and Padme's lower lip trembled.

"Ani, how could you do it?"

"That name means nothing to me," Vader said, in his most frigid tones.

"Nothing?"

Vader suddenly turned away from the imploring brown eyes.

"Anakin, please, why do you serve the Emperor?"

Astrid sent an irritated glance towards Leia. She shouldn't be hearing this. It was private.

"There was nothing else," Vader replied flatly.

"And now?"

He hesitated. Astrid was watching him with narrowed eyes.

"I don't know," he said at last. He turned his head to look at Padme.

"I still love you, Ani," she said softly.

He didn't move or reply, giving no sign that he'd heard. Then:

"Leave, Princess."

Reluctantly Leia turned and walked out.

"We have a daughter," Padme pleaded, "a family. Like you always wanted. Can't that be enough?"

Vader was silent.

"We have the capability to overthrow the Emperor if necessary," said Astrid. She still wore her grim, narrow-eyed look as she stared at her father. Her eyes were gleaming in a way Vader had never seen them gleam before.

"Together our ability is greater than his."

Vader stared at her. He knew she was ambitious, of course, but this manic ambition was new to him. He thought.

"We need Bail Organa," he said finally. Astrid's face broke into a triumphant grin.

"I'll find Leia, you cover Bail," she told him, and ran from the room.

Leia proved to be nearby.

"Princess," Astrid called, entering the room at high speed. Leia stared.

"We're releasing your father," Astrid began.

"What?" Incredulous joy shone from Leia's eyes, but Astrid held up a finger to show she wasn't finished.

"We need him to give us information on the rebellion," Astrid continued. "To help us." She cast a quick darting glance around the room and lent forward to whisper.

"_We're revolting against Palpatine_."

Leia stared into the dark blue eyes fairly blazing with excitement.

"You're serious," she said, her voice filled disbelief. But Leia wasn't one to stay stunned for long.

"How do you want me to help?"


	3. Chapter 3

conformityfever – thanks muchly! ;)

darth mojo the spork – Well, yes and no. Leia's a very strong-minded person who likes to speak (and act) her mind, even if it's not very tactful or nice. She's also a teenager, and, unfortunately, that stage of development can have a weird effect on people. Leia hadn't really appreciated the fact that Vader and Astrid _are_ real people with thoughts and feelings, not just "Imperials." While she _can_ rub people the wrong way, she _is_ loyal and courageous, and hopefully the venture she's now undertaking will make her a bit more perceptive and kinder.

------------------------------------------------------------

Bail Organa was in a holding cell when the door opened and an officer walked in. He stared as the officer saluted.

"You are to come with me, sir," he said.

Organa followed the man as he went down corridors and turned corners. They stopped by a door.

"In here, sir," the man said. Organa walked in to see Vader waiting for him.

"You are being released," Vader said without preamble. Organa felt stunned and suspicious. Was this a trick?

The impenetrable lenses looked at him.

"The stormtroopers discovered Lady Amidala," said Vader. Organa watched him warily.

"Your hiding her continued existence from me was unpardonable." The resonant voice managed to convey a shadow of reproach. Bail wondered at it, feeling a glimmer of hope. Was it possible that not all traces of Anakin Skywalker had been banished after all? "This discovery alters both mine and Astrid's loyalties. You are being released on the condition that you allow us access to rebel information that will assist us in destroying the Emperor."

Organa was frozen in astonishment, staring at the figure in front of him. He tried to gather his wits.

"I don't know whether I can do that," he said dazedly, "but I can try."

"Good," said the Dark Lord. He glanced towards the doorway.

"We need to leave."

Organa followed him as he strode through the maze of rooms and hallways, officers and troopers alike scurrying out of his path. After some fifteen minutes they finally exited the building. A yellow speeder pulled up beside them. Leia leaned over and opened the passenger door so that Bail could join her and Padme in the back seat. Vader seated himself in the front passenger seat as Bail shut his speeder door. They took off.

"Where did you acquire this vehicle?" Vader asked Astrid as she navigated another speeder.

"It was impounded for being illegally parked," she replied in her usual no-nonsense manner. Vader radiated disapproval.

"This is not legitimate procedure for impounded vehicles."

Astrid glanced at him, her face lighting up with its captivating smile.

"Where else was I going to get one?" she asked reasonably. "Don't worry, I've arranged for it to get picked up this afternoon."

The disapproval didn't lessen.

"Besides," Astrid wheedled, "it's nice and yellow." She looked at the yellow hood affectionately.

"It is," Vader conceded, "but you are misusing your authority."

She sent him a look of mischief. Her look was so unlike the "official" expressions that she affected that Leia was startled. Leia was having some trouble adjusting to Astrid-the-teenager. It had never really occurred to her that the girl might have... well, a mind or personality of her own, even when she'd seen Astrid in tears. Obviously she needed to rethink that one.

"Chill, man," Astrid said, adopting the leisurely, relaxed tones of the young, upper-class _scabo_-drinkers. "Yo gotta get inna da groove."

Vader frowned at her, an expression that could not be seen but was nonetheless sensed by the occupants of the speeder.

"Oh, come on," Astrid said impatiently in her usual voice, "it's not going to kill you. I bet this isn't the first time you've been in this situation. And I bet that usually it was _you_ stealing the speeder."

Everyone caught the startled feeling that blasted off Vader for a moment. Astrid grinned triumphantly.

"Spill," she prompted.

"I borrowed a speeder when I was a padawan," Vader admitted. "There was an assassin after the senator of Naboo, and Obi-Wan and I were in pursuit."

Padme sat forward.

"Senator of Naboo? So it was me you were protecting."

Vader nodded.

"Obi-Wan grabbed onto a droid sent by the assassin as it began to return to its owner," he said reminiscently. "So there I was, driving around in a stolen speeder, looking for the figure of a man dangling thousands of miles about Coruscant's surface, holding on for dear life to a droid not much bigger than a child's beach ball." He paused a moment.

"I finally locate him among all the traffic, manage to get the speeder underneath him so that he can let go of the droid, only to have him demand indignantly, 'what took you so long?'"

Astrid and Padme burst out laughing. Organa chuckled while Leia allowed herself an indulgent smile, rather bemused. Vader had ...humanized... in the last few minutes. Yeah, she _definitely_ needed to rethink her perspective on people.

"So then what?" Astrid asked.

Vader gave an impatient shrug as though he was regretting being so open with them.

"I told him that I hadn't been able to find a speeder that I really liked."

Astrid laughed. A warm, rather tender smile was on Padme's face.

Vader turned to his daughter.

"What is the status of this mission?"

Astrid immediately went serious and shrewd, and rather grim.

"A shuttle's taking us to the _Executor_," she informed him, frowning eyes running over the traffic in front of them. She dove suddenly to avoid a large cargo carrier that had suddenly braked in front of them. "The Admiral's been informed of the situation. We're heading off to Coruscant straight away. I tied up all the loose ends you left, so that it appears as though everything's as usual. The only one who'd be likely to suspect anything is the Emperor, and it shouldn't reach him – certainly not before we do, anyway."

Vader frowned to himself.

"Stopping at Deneb III would be advisable." Deneb III was a very small planet, uninhabited, that Vader himself owned.

"Oh?" Astrid glanced at him. "The droids?"

"Precisely."

"Droids?" Padme queried. Astrid flickered a look in her direction.

"They have been programmed for lightsaber use," she explained. "We practice against them."

"Oh." Padme frowned. "You're allowed to use a lightsaber? I wouldn't have thought Palpatine would agree to any Sith training for you." _Too much of a threat to his power,_ she thought.

"Uh, no, not exactly." The grin flashed out again. "I've kinda been trained, uh… surreptitiously." She glanced at Vader again. "Figured it'd come in handy." She didn't say _who_ had figured it would come in handy. Perhaps both of them had.

Padme glanced wistfully at her husband. She couldn't help wishing that…

Well, if Palpatine was defeated, things might work out, anyway.

Bail Organa's mind was running through all the problems he could see with their plan. There seemed to be a hell of a lot.

"What about the Imperial Guards? Stormtroopers? Won't the Emperor call for assistance when he finds you've turned against him?"

"All such contingencies have been taken into account," Vader said dismissively, seemingly annoyed by Organa's lack of faith in his omniscience. Astrid gave Bail an amused look.

"We've already covered all that. We _are_ good at this, you know." She turned back to driving. Padme leaned forward, wanting to know more about her daughter.

"Why are you?"

"Dad because he's Vader, and me because I've been brought up to it all my life," said Astrid, sounding surprised that Padme didn't understand. "Well, since I was twelve, anyway. I'm Lord Vader's daughter. Naturally I was destined to be in a position of command. For a start, I'm his heir, so if anything ever happened to him I'd be taking his place."

Padme got a nasty, sick feeling at that, but Astrid kept talking.

"I was sent to a good Empire school so that I understood politics and power early, and attended Imperial social functions, while from the time I was fourteen Dad had me sitting in on treaties and negotiations and things so that I would learn about them. Then, of course, I spent a lot of time living on the Executor, so that I knew a heap of things about how the military works." She shrugged. "What I wasn't trained for I picked up from living with Dad." She turned and sent a sudden smirk in Leia's direction before turning back to the controls. "Much as in your case, I'm sure, Leia." They heard the smile in her voice.

"I… see," Padme said faintly. She recovered herself. "You grew up as I did, to some extent."

"Because you were Queen." Astrid's voice was neutral and Padme couldn't decipher what her feelings were on the issue. "Being in charge at fourteen must have been a challenge for you – particularly considering the events that occurred during your time in office. But capable of ruling at that young age? No wonder Dad fell for you. Even if he was only nine years old."

Vader smacked her over the back of the head.

"Ow!" Astrid was indignant, but grinning over the fact that her jab at Vader had succeeded. "Dad, not when I'm driving!"

Vader was unperturbed. "It was no hindrance to you. You were expecting it."

Astrid made a face at him. "Huh. Like hell."

-------------------------------------

Piett greeted them when they came aboard the star destroyer.

"Lord Vader, Miss Vader," he saluted. "Senator Organa. Princess Organa. Lady Skywalker."

_Lady Skywalker? _Padme thought. The Organas looked equally surprised. Vader looked at his daughter. Astrid gave a sheepish smile.

"It's a compromise," she explained apologetically. "I felt that perhaps you did not desire to be known as Lady Vader, yet we needed to establish you as a person of status."

"Senator Skywalker would have been fine," Padme said weakly.

"I'm afraid," Astrid continued, ignoring this interruption as frivolous, "that some of those who hear you referred to as such may put two and two together, however, as my legal name is still Astrid Skywalker no matter what I may go by in public."

She turned to Piett, who was patiently waiting. Despite his impassiveness of expression Padme could feel his curiosity itching at her.

"We've set our course for Coruscant and should be there in twenty-eight hours, ma'am," he reported. Padme was surprised that he was telling her and not Vader. But the Sith Lord raised no demur, merely listening intently. It occurred to Padme that it had, after all, been Astrid who had given the Admiral his orders.

"Very good, Admiral."

Piett saluted again and left them.

"As my representative Astrid's authority is equal to mine in many areas," Vader stated, just as though he had read Padme's mind. She barely repressed a shudder.

-------------------------------------

Padme was in her quarters when Leia tentatively entered.

"Are you all right, Aunt Padme?" she asked uncertainly. Padme smiled at her.

"Quite alright, Leia." It wasn't true, but Padme wasn't going to worry her. And it was private.

Leia sat on the edge of Padme's bed and looked at her.

"I'm sorry about anything I ever said to you about the Vaders," she confessed. "Especially your – daughter."

Before Padme could decide how to answer that frank apology Astrid herself entered, wearing a black uniform with red trim. She stopped politely, seeing Leia. She was entirely the cold, stern Dark Lord that sometimes appeared on the media networks.

"You are busy."

Padme realised with a sort of panic that Astrid had taken Leia's presence to mean that Padme preferred her company to her own.

"No!" she said involuntarily. "I mean, Leia was talking to me, but she can go – that is, if you're happy to, Leia – she – I'm happy to – " Padme broke off as her sentence became inextricably confused.

"Please do stay," she finished helpessly.

Astrid inclined her head. "I shall."

There was a short silence. Then –

"I'm sorry," Leia said suddenly, "for being so horrible at the palace."

Astrid gave her a thoughtful look.

"I never really thought – about what life was like for you. You were just – the enemy."

The Dark Lord vanished. Astrid was regarding Leia with a sort of solemn interest.

"Oh."

Her gaze switched to Padme. There was a look of slight puzzlement on her face that Padme didn't understand. Then, suddenly she smiled.

There was a moment of incomprehension for Leia and Padme as Astrid stood there, simply beaming. Then Padme stepped forward to hug her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Probably my favourite part in this chapter is the "This is not legitimate procedure for impounded vehicles," part. :) Astrid is very smart and enjoys diplomatic situations like the one where she was verbally sparring with Leia – she has a lawyer-type mind that picks up on subtle details and intricate technicalities – but she also has a lighter side that usually only comes out in private, usually when she's with her father. I made sure to put a bit of that in at the beginning of the chapter. While she does have a stern, in-charge, Dark Lord-type side, when she's on official business she's really slipping into an acting role a little. She tends to regard it as a separate part of her – "Imperial Royal/Dark Lord" versus "Astrid Skywalker/Teenage Girl." :)

Oh, and "brave and clever action" in the second chapter means Leia was brave to do it, and while it was stupid to reveal her rebel sympathies the way she did it was clever. Sorry if there was any confusion.


End file.
